Bain’s New York: A Book Review
By John Manbeck
When I researched Coney Island photos in the Library of Congress for the Kingsborough Historical Society, I encountered many diverse sources. One of the lots was the Bain Collection. Contained in these files was a plethora of unusual photo images of Brooklyn and New York from the 19th century.
There I found photographs of Brighton Beach with a sign advertising the rental of beach chairs at 3 hours for 10 cents; a 1914 print of bathers dancing a tango; a crowded midway at Dreamland Amusement Park; a sideshow depicting the Civil War naval battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac; the starting lineup of early racing cars at the Harkness race track in Sheepshead Bay.